


I Swear, We're Mental Patients

by Miraphina Atherton (mew_tsubaki)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: & lbh i refuse to accept his death lol, Alternate Universe, F/M, Post-Deathly Hallows, Pre-Epilogue, Pre-Relationship, just for Florean being alive since he has a cameo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 16:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12016704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mew_tsubaki/pseuds/Miraphina%20Atherton
Summary: There are those with things to do with their lives. Then there are those whose lives are planned for them. Two of them rebel for a special occasion.





	I Swear, We're Mental Patients

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This was done for the 2010 forum-wide competition in the HPFC. The Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me.
> 
> House: Slytherin
> 
> Week: Three (third challenge)
> 
> Challenge: Prompt table. Set 4: Birthdays (used ALL in table)

Sighing under the sweltering sun, the redheaded witch put down her glass of ice water and wiped the beads of sweat forming on her brow. It was her first summer out of Hogwarts, and it was a bland one.

Ginny had to wonder what she was going to do with her life. She had received all the N.E.W.T.s possible for several jobs. She could be an Auror like Harry. …nah, she was fairly sure she'd had her fill of Dark wizards. She could work as a Healer at St. Mungo's…oh, who was she kidding? She didn't have the patience for that. Besides, Hermione was the one better-suited to that line of work. Ginny _could_ call in a favor with Oliver and audition for some Quidditch scouts. It wasn't as if she didn't have the talent; she'd played several positions even, proving to be a valuable player. It would be stupid for any Quidditch scout _not_ to swipe her up while she was still a free agent.

…

Ugh, why should she even _bother_ , right now? It was too hot to think!

For fear of her mind baking, Ginny left the porch of the Burrow and went inside. "Mum?" she called. "Mum, have you made any ice-cream recently?"

No one responded. Actually, the house was fairly silent. Not even the ghoul upstairs made any noise. Besides her own breathing, the only sound Ginny heard was the chirping of the cicadas outside.

"Thanks a lot for letting me know you stepped out," the Weasley daughter grumbled under her breath. She slipped inside the freezer in the kitchen and searched the shelves until her lips were nearly blue. However, there weren't any frozen treats. Frowning, Ginny exited and surveyed the kitchen. She sighed. She didn't have the energy to make anything herself. Of course, as luck would have it, _that_ was when she saw the note:

_Ginny—_

_I've gone to Bill and Fleur's to help out with Victoire. You know Fleur's still new to being a mother, and I want to lend a hand. A plate of tea sandwiches is in the fridge. Money's on the table should you feel the need to go out somewhere. I'll be back for dinner._

_Luv, Mum_

Ginny had to admit, it wasn't fun, exactly, being babied at her age despite _being_ the baby of the family—excluding Victoire, of course. She was the only one still living at home, but Ginny knew that that was how things might be for at least the first few years out of school until she was able to stand on her own feet. For now, she would have to deal with her position in the family as she always had.

For now, Ginny was going to step out, too. After she left a quickly scribbled note so Molly wouldn't freak, of course.

* * *

Elsewhere in England, life was just as calm and happy.

"Why not Pansy?! I've known her all my life! I would even daresay I _trust_ her!"

Narcissa Malfoy glanced up coolly from her paperwork to stare down her son. "Draco, it won't be Parkinson for the obvious, superficial reasons."

Draco snarled. "Oh, stop it. I'm not a child anymore. I can run my own life, Mother, and I refuse for you to choose my bride."

"We Malfoys are of a higher breed than others, Draco."

He rolled his eyes and sneered. "Yeah, look where that thinking got Father: Azkaban," he muttered darkly under his breath.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," his mother hissed, but he'd gotten to her. Her quill snapped in her grip as if it'd been a Sugar Quill. "Anyway, you should consider either of the Greengrass girls. That family's fairly respectable."

"I don't want to do this, Mother," Draco stated as he exasperatedly rubbed his eyes.

"What about Tracey Davis? She was in your class and House, if I remember correctly. What's she like?"

"I dunno. I think she was the one who stayed out of the way. No one really needed her." Draco stood up from the living room table and walked around to rid his legs of the pins-and-needles feeling. "Do you know what _I_ need? Something to eat."

"Have the house-elf bring it up," Narcissa ordered.

He left the room, calling over his shoulder, "I'll get some fresh air instead." When Narcissa didn't respond, he quickly clambered down the stairs. Once he reached the front door, his mother exploded.

"OH! _Draco_! You get back here _right_ now! Don't make me set you up with Millicent Bulstrode!"

Draco knew that was an empty threat; Narcissa would never marry him to a girl she couldn't stand. So, without further ado, he Disapparated to London.

* * *

When Ginny arrived in Diagon Alley, it felt like that day when she was preparing for first year all over again. Nary a face went by that she recognized. It was as if she were a child again, only this time she didn't have her mother's hand to guide her.

"No," Ginny told herself, "you don't need Mum for everything. _Grow. Up._ " Having steeled herself, she walked the length of the Wizarding mecca and peered through the windows. Pretty much the only thing that never changed was the faces of the shopkeepers. However, there was one face she felt she _needed_ to see.

Down Diagon Alley, a line was forming out the doorway to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Ginny figured as much; when the weather was hot, even witches and wizards looked for all ways possible to cool off. Ginny just wished that not everyone had had the same idea today.

"Excuse me. Uh, excuse me, I'm trying to get by," she groused as she tried to elbow her way in to the store. She was met with elbows to the arm and side. Disgruntled, Ginny waited at the tail end of the line and tapped her foot. She did a double-take, though, when she saw a fair-haired wizard slip inside ahead of everyone else. "Oh, bloody…" Again, she apologized as she fought her way in to the shop. "Er, sorry… I, uh, saw my mate went in already…"

"…and I want it now," Draco stated to Florean's helper. "I have my money right here, so just give it to me."

Ginny snorted as she came up behind him. "Is that really any way to speak to someone?"

He froze and slowly turned around, that trademark Malfoy sneer on his face. "Of course. Weasley," he scoffed, looking her up and down. "Couldn't afford more clothing, could you?"

She rolled her eyes, not ashamed to be in her tank top and shorts. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?" she asked, ignoring his jibe.

"I want the last tub of Chocolate Frog Chunk," he answered, turning back to the helper, who by now had fetched Florean. "How _hard_ is that to understand?"

"Mr. Malfoy, please," Florean begged. "There are other customers who were here first."

"And I'm here now." Draco put the money on the counter. "Now can I _please_ just have the ruddy ice cream?"

Ginny sighed and put her own money down. "Hello, Mr. Fortescue."

"Oh, Miss Weasley!" Florean said as he recognized a friend of Harry Potter's and a hero of the war. "How are you? Can I get you anything?"

Draco growled, "I was here first!"

Ginny half smiled. "Well, I was actually wondering if I could have the last of the Chocolate Frog Chunk?" she inquired sweetly. "You know, it's _so_ hot…" Without much more pleading, Ginny ended up with the tub and with Draco on her heels as she left the parlor.

"And _how_ did you do that?" Draco hissed as he followed her down Diagon Alley.

"Easy," she replied. "He likes Harry, and he likes the family." Ginny winked impishly. " _Winning_ combination, don't you think?"

"Give me that ice-cream, Weasley."

"I didn't hear a 'please.'"

Draco contorted his face in several severe ways, trying not to shout at her. "… _please_ ," he spat through gritted teeth.

"Ooh, sorry. I'm treating this as an early birthday present to myself. Well, have a nice life!" Ginny Disapparated then and happily arrived home to the Burrow.

"Ickk. _This_ is the Weasel hovel?"

She blanched and stared at her companion. "You Side-Along Apparated with me?!" she shrieked, nearly dropping her prize in the process.

Draco snorted. "Not really on purpose. Unless you count wanting the damn ice-cream as a purpose."

"Will you shut up?" she groaned as he followed her inside the house to the kitchen. "Get over it already! Go home and whine to Mummy!"

He frowned. After an odd beat spent amazingly quiet and scrutinizing her home, he added in a small voice, "It's my birthday, too."

Ginny set the ice-cream on the kitchen counter and stared at him. He didn't seem to be lying… Then again, this _was_ Draco Malfoy. …then again, he'd been on neutral terms with Harry ever since Harry had saved him. She cocked her head to the side. "No, it isn't. When _was_ it?"

"June sixth." Draco bitterly smiled. "During the usual exam week."

She blinked. Her birthday was August eleventh. This day, July seventh, was exactly halfway between the two dates. Ginny brushed it off as a strange coincidence, though. She pursed her lips. "Did you celebrate?"

"What's there to celebrate, Weasley?" he asked, taking a seat at the kitchen counter. "My family's a mess, remember?"

Things were quiet for several moments. Ginny stolidly put the ice-cream in the freezer. But she came back out with a plan. "We're going to celebrate our birthdays, Malfoy."

He gaped at her as she began rummaging through her mother's cupboards and selecting ingredients. When she started to mix them together in a large bowl, he howled, "Are you out of your _mind_?!"

"Quite possibly, yes," Ginny answered as he stormed to her side. "But why should that matter?" She dumped the flour in the bowl—and coughed. The entire bag had emptied, leaving both her and Draco covered in white dust. "Huh. I didn't think it possible, but I've made you paler, Malfoy," she said with a laugh.

He glared at her, irritated but slightly amused. "Well, look at this. It _is_ possible to hide all those freckles." He smirked at her angry blush.

"Look, why don't you go get some balloons from the drawer under the sink? … No, not that one… _That_ one."

"I don't even know why I'm doing this," Draco muttered as he walked back. He withdrew his wand and magically inflated them. "I never did understand the point of these things…"

Ginny glanced up at him. "They're fun. What's to understand?" She set the cake to bake and found the items necessary to make icing. Ginny was surprised to find she didn't mind Draco's company when he was being civil. She even had a laugh swatting his fingers away when he tried to taste the icing prematurely.

"So do I get a present?" he asked. "I mean, we _are_ celebrating my birthday, after all."

" _Our_ birthdays," she corrected, putting some things away while the cake cooked. "And isn't cake enough? There's the ice-cream, too."

Draco scrunched up his face, definitely reminding her of a ferret. "What's a birthday without presents? It's uncalled for. It's untraditional."

Ginny sighed. She really wished by now that she had known what she was getting into, because she was starting to get a headache. "Oh, fine. We'll do a Yankee swap. We'll trade presents. Sound good?"

"Fine," he huffed. "It at least saves me the trouble of leaving a wrapping paper trail." He paused and narrowed his eyes at her. "I, er…"

"No, you don't have to spend money on me," the witch stated. "Heaven help that you'd actually put some thought into anything, though."

Draco glared at her and left the kitchen after her remark. Ginny's face fell as she realized she hadn't intended to sound so harsh, and she went after him, not wanting to lose her company. But he'd already Disapparated. So, frowning, the Weasley daughter went back inside and found a gift anyway, despite the feeling that he wouldn't return.

* * *

Back in the kitchen, she took her time and ate a couple of the tea sandwiches from her mother. Ginny absentmindedly flipped through an old issue of _Witch Weekly_ , but she began to get fidgety, and she really wished that the oven would hurry up and ding.

Ding, it did. That was the only thing she heard, but when she set the confection on the countertop to cool, Draco returned. Apparently the _**ding**_ had covered the sound of his _**pop**_.

"You're back?" she asked incredulously. The stunned look on her face couldn't be suppressed.

"Yes, I'm back. You still have _our_ ice-cream, remember?" Yet he said it with only a small smirk, one that might be interpreted as a smile, but Ginny didn't push it. Instead, she iced the cake and levitated it over to the table where the wizard sat.

She began to stick the candles in when he added an extra one. "Ack! What are you doing?"

"I turned nineteen; therefore, _nineteen_ candles."

"I'm turning eighteen, so _eighteen_ candles," Ginny retorted, removing the last wax candle.

Draco stopped her hand and then pulled away, though not commenting about touching a blood-traitor. She _was_ still a pureblood, and she hadn't been all _that_ bad to him today.

" _Happy birthday to us_ ," Ginny sang softly, " _happy birthday to us…_ "

He lit the candles, his mind not on any of his family troubles for once. "Happy birthday, Ginny," Draco breathed.

" _Happy birthd_ —what?" she nearly shrieked. She gaped at him—he'd said her first name!—and he took the chance to blow out all the candles.

"Oh, looks as though you won't get a wish, Weasley." Draco passed her a ring on a chain. "Your gift, by the way. It does have some thought, mind you; that's the Malfoy crest," he explained as she stared at the silver peacock ring instead of him. "I'm imparting a bit of wealth, you see," he said with a mischievous grin, "since you don't have much here."

Not missing a beat, Ginny raised an eyebrow and pointed behind him. "Thank you. Yours is behind you."

Draco grabbed the small bag, grousing about how " _no one_ puts gifts in the _corner_ , they go on the _table_ ," but he shut up as he pulled out a pine green sweater with a silver D on it. "Hell. This doesn't make me a Weasel now, does it? And where did you…?"

"Oh, it's just something I whipped up. And, no, you don't have to be a Weasley. Happy birthday, Draco. Cake?"

The wizard sighed as she laughed and passed him a slice. A crazy thought occurred to him: Maybe he'd have an answer for his mother in the future, further down the road… "You said your birthday's coming up, right?"

Ginny sat down and started eating. "Yes, but I figure everyone will still be a little busy then. Hence my early celebration."

"Keep the day open," he remarked, not meeting the widening eyes. "We'll celebrate then, too." Funnily enough, the ice-cream was long forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> Despite this being my first go at a Drinny, I found the pairing (if you can call it that in this oneshot) to come easy. The idea for the fic came quickly, too, as soon as I read the prompts for Set 4. I could definitely see a sequel to this one, though! Any takers? XD This one was dedicated to opaque-girl, whose Drinny stuff is starting to turn me towards them! 0.0! Look at what you've done, Pooja! X3
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review!
> 
> -mew-tsubaki :3
> 
> Thanks as always to Morghen for beta'ing! XD Also, thanks to papa mew, too, for looking this over for me. ;D
> 
> 2017 note: Wow! This was actually my first Drinny, and I vaguely remembered the premise, but I'm so glad I reread this. XD It's a lot of fun, and to me it's a sneak peek of how much stronger my Ginny and my Draco writing skills would become (esp Draco, I think). I'm always happy to get and use prompts, too, so having a prompt table for one round of the competition helped the creation of this story a lot. Ahhh…I kinda want to write more…or just more Drinny in general now… ;w; *loves Ginny* :D


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